Study of Romans 12 – Verse 11

    How are you doing, spiritually?

    Pause for a moment and consider: in comparison to how you were one year ago, five years ago, how are you doing?

Are you a more willing sacrifice, or are you growing irritated by ‘all you have to give up,’ ‘all you have to do’?

Have you continued to renew your mind through study and obedience, or have other interests got in the way?

Are you transformed (changed for the better - more like the Lord and less like the world), or has conformity kept you from the treasures found only in God and Jesus (Colossians 2:2-3)?

Are you using the abilities you have been blessed with to serve God and the church, or have you buried them to keep others from expecting too much from you?  

Has your love (for God, your brethren, your neighbour) improved, or grown cold (only words and no deeds)?

Are you better able to discern good from evil (Hebrews 5:14), or has your abhorrence for what is evil faded to a mild dislike and toleration?

Are you growing stronger in clinging to good, or has your clasp loosened and your attention focused elsewhere?

Has your affection for your brethren deepened, or dissipated? Have you sought out their best interests, or are you only seeking after your own?

    These are questions that are good to ask ourselves, often.  Am I fervent in my spirit in serving the Lord, or am I lagging in diligence?

“…not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…” (Romans 12:11 NKJV)

“…not lagging in diligence…”

    Lagging (Strong’s Greek #3636 ‘okneros’) means slothful, hesitating, sluggish toward spiritual duties. It is a reluctance and an unwillingness to act promptly or with energy.

    Diligence (Strong’s Greek #4710 ‘spoude’) means earnestness, zeal, and effort in fulfilling a task or duty, earnestness in accomplishing or striving after something. Consider 2 Corinthians 7:11-12 (“what diligence… what vehement desire”), 2 Corinthians 8:7 (“abound in all diligence”), Romans 12:8 (“he who leads, with diligence”), and 2 Peter 1:5-11 (“giving all diligence… be even more diligent”).

 “…fervent in spirit…”

    Fervent (Strong’s Greek #2204 ‘zeo’) means to boil, to be hot, have intense passion, eagerness in one’s faith and spiritual life. Apollos was described as being “fervent in spirit” in Acts 18:25; a man who spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord.

    In spirit (Strong’s Greek #4151 ‘pneuma’) means being motivated in or by our spirit; the vital principle in which the body is animated. In other words: be eager in your motivation, have a readiness to obey God (and to respond to another’s need).

    Where are we not to lag in diligence and where are we to be motivated from the very core of our being to do what is needed? In serving the Lord.

    How do we keep ourselves from lagging in diligence and how are we to remain motivated from the very core of our being to do what is needed?  By serving the Lord.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him… And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for your serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:17, 23-24 NKJV)

    Nothing is as fulfilling as doing what God has given us to do – to be a help to others and grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). These benefit us mentally/emotionally, physically, and, of course, spiritually; it is the most satisfying way to use our time and abilities!

    Are you serving the Lord with a fervent spirit – motivated to do all that is asked of you? What He asks of us is not too much – it is for our good always (Deuteronomy 6:24-25).

    Are you diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15)?

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises…. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil...” (Hebrews 6:11-12, 19 NJKV)

    Look to God for motivation – you will find it! His promises are real – trust Him! His word is glorious, life-changing and life-bettering – look to it daily for instruction and for examples of those who lived and served with diligence and fervent spirits; let these motivate you toward doing your part so that you, too, can be an example to those around you of one who does not lag in diligence, but who is fervent in spirit, serving the Lord!  

You can do it! So can I!!

Study of Romans 12 – Verse 1

    I would like to take this study, as much as it is possible, verse by verse. In each verse, we will dig into the words used and the commands given to gain a better and deeper understanding of what God spoke through the apostle Paul. Are you ready? Let’s begin this week with verse 1:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1 NKJV)

“I beseech you therefore… by the mercies of God… ”

    Beseech means to strongly urge, to implore, or fervently ask. “I strongly urge you brethren…”

    Therefore means because of what I have just said, because of this, for this reason. So, whenever you see the word “therefore” in the Bible, read the context (chapters and/or verses before) to understand what the current command/instruction is ‘there for.’ To understand Romans 12:1, you need to read Romans 11:28-36. In these verses we find that because of God’s mercy, the gospel was given to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected it. “…because of God’s mercy and compassion on you…”

“…that you present your bodies a living sacrifice…”

    Present your bodies means our physical bodies, our capabilities: everything we can do with and within our bodies. We can use our bodies (our members: mind, heart, hands, etc.) as instruments of either sin or righteousness. Take time to read Roman 6:1-23.

    A living sacrifice means that God does not require blood or death (as required under the Law, i.e. animal sacrifice), but instead He desires us to have a willingness to sacrifice whatever is needed within ourselves (sin) and our lives (company, habits) so that we may commit wholly to Him and His way. Consider Matthew 16:24. People in Jesus’ time would have understood that anyone seen carrying a cross was not going to return, and we now can understand that when we deny self and take up our cross, we, too, will not return to our old life/ways because we are now following Jesus (1 John 2:3-6). “…show yourself ready and willing to do whatever is necessary to follow God and obey His commands…”

“…holy, acceptable to God…”

    Holy means sacred, set apart. “…allow God’s word to make you different than the world and more like the Lord…”

    Acceptable to God means we do what He requires and commands. We study God’s will, the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15, Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17), so we can “do what aligns with His will, what is approved by Him...” Consider these examples:

• 1 Timothy 2:1-4 – praying for all who are in authority is good and acceptable in the sight of God.
• 1 Peter 3:1-4 – women having chaste conduct and the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is very precious in the sight of God.
• Hebrews 11:6 – Without faith it is impossible to please Him, we must believe that He is and that He will reward us when we diligently seek Him – God made mankind to do exactly that: Acts 17:26-27.
• 1 Peter 2:5 – we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (Think on Genesis 4:1-7)

 “…which is your reasonable service.”

    Reasonable service means rational (conclusion). As we gain knowledge through study, and gain wisdom through use of that knowledge (obedience), we will develop spiritual understanding: comprehending the vital importance of God and His word, Jesus’ sacrifice, His example, etc. We will begin to comprehend the value of the spiritual blessings found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14). Our rational response to this understanding and comprehension is to wholly commit to do what is needed to be holy – different than the world, and more like Him – because we adhere to His instructions and guidance. “…this is the most logical, the most sensible, response you can give to God who loves you and shows you such mercy.”

To summarize: I strongly urge you brethren, because of God’s mercy and compassion on you when He gave you access to the gospel of Christ; show yourself ready and willing to do whatever is necessary to follow Him and obey His commands, allow God’s word to make you different than those in the world who don’t know Him and become more like the Lord, doing what aligns with His will and what is approved by Him, for this is the most logical, the most sensible, response you can give to God who loves you and shows you such mercy.

    Are you ready to present yourself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God?

You can do it! So can I!!